Agenda item

The Council considered a report of the Head of Legal and Democratic Services which presented the revised proposals of the Boundary Commission for England for new Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England and the Constitution Working Group’s recommendations thereon (for copy see file of Minutes).

In moving the recommendations Councillor Henig informed the Council that it would object in the strongest possible terms to the proposals.  The proposed response was at Appendix 2 of the report.

In seconding the report Councillor Hopgood informed Council that there were massive changes in the proposals to those which the public had been consulted on.

Councillor R Bell informed the Council he could not support outright rejection of the proposals because they had brought Barnard Castle back into a Bishop Auckland constituency.

Resolved:

That:

1             the objection to the BCE’s revised proposals for new Parliamentary Constituency boundaries across County Durham as set out at Appendix 2 be submitted.

2             the Head of Legal and Democratic Services be requested to send the letter on behalf of the Council to BCE before the consultation closes on 11 December 2017.